Health and Computer Issues: Ergonomics
As
the use of computers in the workplace and in personal life expands so do the unforeseen
consequences associated with further computerization. Health issues such wrist injuries,
compromised vision, back issues, and symptoms related to being sedentary for
long periods of time (Vahid, & Lysecky. 2017 Ch 9.1). One of the ways of combating these
significant health issues related to computerization is through interventions
associated with ergonomics. Ergonomics
is the science of providing interventions to offset behaviors and trends in
computer use (Vahid, & Lysecky. 2017 Ch 9.1). The science relies mostly on interface
hardware such as keyboards, mice, and monitors.
These devices have direct contact with the user and have the most impact
on the body. One example ergonomics is
for an individual to have the top of their screen just below eye level (Vahid, &
Lysecky. 2017 Ch 9.1). This intervention
is aimed at reducing neck strain in individuals who have their monitors in a
position that over time could cause permanent damage to the user. This topic is very important to information
technology in that it makes the practice of utilizing computers
sustainable.
I
will concede that the topic of ergonomics does not quite relate to all aspects
of information technology, but there are times when software configuration can
be utilized in an ergonomic way to reduce the strain on the user. Some of the potential software configurations
involve the user interface and the colors and fonts associated with it. The advancement of computers has also seen
the addition of continued diversity in the types of code used and the color
schemes attributed to them. A database
manager or programmer could be at risk of vision related issues if they had to
look at certain colors of code for long periods of time. These vision issues are referred to as Computer
Vision Syndrome or Digital Eye Strain (American Optometric Association). Computer vision syndrome is characterized by
eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and neck and shoulder pain
(American Optometric Association). To
reduce the symptoms associated with computer vision syndrome it is possible to
create software and user interfaces which limit the amount of time a person must
spend looking at their screen or the type of fonts and colors a person is
exposed to.
Another
software applications that can be used in an ergonomic capacity to reduce the
potential harm of long periods of interacting with computer interfaces. One such program is known as Dragon Speech,
which is a voice to text program that can help individuals with ergonomic
injuries such as carpel tunnel (Juul-Kristensen, Laursen, Pilegaard, &
Jensen. 2004). This program does cost
money but has been shown affective for individuals recovering from occupational
injuries.
The
main reason for deciding upon this topic is that I suffer from a medical disability
that has compromised my tendons and ligaments throughout my body. For me, the act of moving too quickly can
cause me to sprain a joint and because of this ergonomic are vital for me to live
a productive life and still retain the ability to work. Initially, I utilized Dragon Speech to limit
the amount of time that I spent with fingers on the keys which reduced the
amount of injuries I experienced.
References
American
Optometric Association. (n.d). Computer Vision Syndrome. Retrieved from https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision/protecting-your-vision/computer-vision-syndrome
B. JUUL-KRISTENSEN, B. LAURSEN, M. PILEGAARD and & B.R.
JENSEN (2004) Physical workload
during use of speech recognition and traditional computer input devices, Ergonomics, 47:2, 119-133, DOI: 10.1080/00140130310001617912
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